KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Yankees hope to have James Paxton back in the rotation this week, but Aaron Boone acknowledged Sunday the left-hander may have to deal with discomfort the rest of the season.

“I don’t know,” Boone said when asked if Paxton would be able to get rid of the soreness near his MCL that sent him to the injured list. “We’ll see. We hope it’s something that when he comes back and is pitching, it’s something that continues to improve over time. There is the possibility it could be one of those things he’s got to grind through.”

Paxton long-tossed, did fielding drills and threw a side session in Tampa, and Boone said “everything went pretty well.”

He’ll meet the team back in The Bronx at the start of their homestand Monday and be seen by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad. If that goes well, Paxton may start against the Padres on Wednesday.

“We want him to feel like he’s in a place where he can go out and pitch the way he’s capable of and can execute all the pitches he needs to and protect himself,” Boone said. “We hope to come to a final conclusion [Monday]. … We want him to also feel like he’s in a good place to go out there and not think about [the injury].”

CC Sabathia got a cortisone shot and lubricant in his surgically repaired right knee and Boone said, “We’ll see how that goes.”

see also

After playing seven innings at shortstop in his first rehab game from offseason Tommy John surgery Saturday, Didi Gregorius served as the DH on Sunday for Class-A Tampa.

He is expected to work out in Tampa on Monday and then head to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in time for Tuesday’s game.

Boone believes Gregorius will probably need “a week to two weeks” with SWB before he gets back to the Yankees, which would be at the early part of when the Yankees thought he could return following the October surgery.

Dellin Betances is scheduled to throw off a mound Monday for the first time since suffering a setback in his recovery from a right shoulder impingement. … Right-hander Jake Barrett was sent to the 10-day IL before Sunday’s game with right elbow inflammation. Barrett was warming up Saturday when he felt discomfort. He will get an MRI exam Monday. Joe Harvey was called up from SWB to take Barrett’s place. Barrett has allowed six runs in 3 2/3 innings in two appearances since the Yankees claimed him off waivers from the Pirates last month. Harvey has appeared in eight games with the Yankees and has given up six runs — five earned — in 8 1/3 innings.